Need 38 Special Suggestions For A 2" S&w 640

[mleeber]

I have searched but most posts are concerned with minor PF.

I am looking for a good carry load for my S&W 640 (5 shot 38 2" barrel). I have some 110gr jhp bullets as well as some 140gr JHPs on hand as well as Titegroup, HS-6, 3N37, N330, Red Dot, Blue Dot, and HP-38. This gun will shoot +P so a little hot is OK.

I have had some good success with 3N37 and the 110gr JHPs but am afraid that the powder is not fast enough to maximize muzzle velocity from a 2 inch barrel.

Thanks!

[Wayne Dobbs]

I would suggest NO reloaded/handloaded ammunition for carry purposes. There are potential legal problems for such a practice. Some of those will include red herring charges that you tried to make the ammo more lethal, etc. I'm not too concerned with many of those issues, but the ability to do accurate forensic reconstructions of your carry ammo will likely be difficult or impossible.

Pick a good defensive load for your 640 (great revolver, btw) and date and initial the box of ammo you put into defensive service and lock up the unused rounds in the safe. When you change out your ammo for carry, shoot up the leftovers and do the same with another new box of ammo. If bad times come to you and some miscreant gets a "tune up" from you, you will have the actual ammo used for post-shooting forensic analysis by your defense counsel's experts and/or the State's experts.

Current load suggestions, based on objective testing and/or field use:

1. Remington .38 Special +P 158 grain Lead SWC Hollow Point (Code R38S12)

2. CCI/Speer .38 Special +P 135 grain Gold Dot Hollow Point

This advice is based on 25 years of big city police experience, both patrol, investigative and firearms training.

Good luck to you,

Wayne Dobbs

Edited February 24, 2006 by Wayne Dobbs

[revchuck]

I have searched but most posts are concerned with minor PF.

I am looking for a good carry load for my S&W 640 (5 shot 38 2" barrel). I have some 110gr jhp bullets as well as some 140gr JHPs on hand as well as Titegroup, HS-6, 3N37, N330, Red Dot, Blue Dot, and HP-38. This gun will shoot +P so a little hot is OK.

I have had some good success with 3N37 and the 110gr JHPs but am afraid that the powder is not fast enough to maximize muzzle velocity from a 2 inch barrel.

Thanks!

First off, I fully agree with Wayne, and use the Remington load he suggests for my .38 carry guns. It runs ~950 fps from my 4" .38s - about a 150 PF from factory .38 ammo ain't bad.

But that doesn't answer your question.

There are several things you have to consider (legalities aside) in loading a .38 Special for defense. At those velocities with commercially available bullets, you have to choose between expansion and penetration - you can't count on both from a .38. The 110s will probably expand, the 140s probably won't. The 110s have a reputation for low penetration.

Muzzle flash is a big thing. Especially out of a 2" gun, you're going to get some, and the choice of powder is what determines this. The only powder I have a lot of experience with from your list above is Titegroup, and it's a pretty low-flash powder. It's also pretty fast.

I'd work with HS6, 3N37 and N330. The slower the powder, the more velocity you're going to get out of it, regardless of barrel length. The downside is that you will probably get more muzzle flash from the slower powders. Also, HS6 doesn't burn well at .38 pressures; if you have to reload, you may have problems with unburnt powder in the chambers and under the extractor star. I don't know how the VV powders are about this.

Another consideration is that fixed-sight S&Ws are regulated for 158 grain ammo. At short range it won't matter, but short range isn't a guaranteed thing. You'd probably be okay with the 140s, but if you choose the 110s, introduce Mr. Front Sight to Mr. File.

A practical reason (apart from legalities) to use factory ammo for this is that the factories have already done all the head-scratching and testing. Speer ammo is very good about reaching the advertised velocities with minimum muzzle flash, and their new short barrel ammo should be excellent. Federal and Remington are good on muzzle flash in my experience, Winchester non-LE ammo is less so (but their LE ammo is excellent). Cor-Bon is also good, but pricey.

I'm not sure that this is what you wanted to hear, but hey, you get what you pay for.

[mleeber]

Thanks Gents for the reply!

Sort of funny, about a year ago in a debate on another site I was also supporting the use of only factory ammo for carry. In my 9 and 380 it is alternating Wincheter Silver Tips and Ball ammo but I did not think that I could get a decent factory 38 Special load. I am a bit out of touch with factory ammo (as you can probably tell by my choice of Silvertips). I have been reloading just about everything I shoot for the last 10 years. I will take a look at the loads you suggest and then come up with something that feels similar in recoil for practice.

Thanks!

Mark